SCUM | PC

Devolver Digital publishes some of gaming's most evocative and bizarre titles, and the upcoming SCUM is no different. As yet another game looking to throw itself into the battle royale genre, this over-the-top and surprisingly detailed online action-shooter takes some rather interesting approaches in how it puts you in the hot seat. In SCUM, you will take on the role of a prisoner who must participate in a reality TV show focusing on several fights for survival on an abandoned island. With bombs fastened to the back of their heads, the prisoners will have to stick with the program in order to earn their freedom.

Sort of like a cross between The Running Man and The Hunger Games, you'll have to appease the viewers at home by performing well in your fight for survival. But what makes SCUM such a standout amongst other online survival shooters is that it features a system that keeps track of your character's body weight, metabolism, dietary habits, and other details that all tie back into your struggle to survive. With the character creator, you can adjust body physique and attributes, along with focusing on a particular set of skills such as shooting, melee, cooking, etc. While out in the field, you can pull up your personal menu and view the current stats on your character, which includes current heart rate and figures on food that's currently being digested.

While this all may seem a bit overly complex--especially when you learn the hard way that wet clothes will make your character slower--it all ties back into SCUM's meticulous nature. Eat too much junk food, and your character will gain weight and become slower over time. But if you eat right and stay fit when on the island, then you'll be able to remain one step ahead of the others.

Coming to early access sometime in Q2 2018, SCUM's bizarrely specific approach to survival can be jarring at first, but you'll quickly find yourself going with the flow of the game--while also watching what you eat. | Alessandro Fillari